The Needs of the Many
by realistjoker
Summary: Following the events of the episode 'Bereft', Batman and Aqualad address and confront Miss Martian about her decisions.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**-Don't own Young Justice

**A/N**- So I wrote this because I've been seeing a lot of debate online about if Miss Martian leaving her team in 'Bereft' was a good idea or not. I have no clear opinion, so I decided to let Batman somewhat call her out on her decision and give his own cynical interpretation.

* * *

An odd silence filled the room as the tired young team stood at attention in front of Batman. "You left your team," stated Batman as he stared down at Miss Martian. Basic common sense would tell anyone that Batman wasn't too happy about the results of the mission.

Only five feet away, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Flash, and Red Tornado stood staring at the team trying to form their own opinion about the decisions of the team and with themselves. The biggest unspoken question was what would they have done if put into Miss Martian's position.

The only missing person was Aquaman, who was infirmary with Aqualad. Despite getting medical attention in the bioship, the Atlantean teen still required better medical facilities that the ship couldn't provide.

Her brown eyes met the ground; she was too scared to look at Batman. Just knowing that he possibly hated her scared her more than anything. "I…" she hesitated. "I-"

"Explain," he interrupted.

"She was saving me," Superboy spoke up taking Megan's hand. The infamous glare he got forced him to drop it.

"Don't speak. Miss Martian, why did you leave? You were aware of the problems that your other team members had. Artemis was out of arrows, Kid Flash had no energy, and Aqualad was on the verge of death. If…" Batman had to stop himself; he did not want to think or even acknowledge what would have happened if Aqualad had died.

"But Robin…" she said.

"Robin is a skilled fighter." The statement earned a small smile from his protégé. "But he is only one person. You were aware if they were ambushed-"

"But they weren't."

"Do not interrupt," Batman snapped. Everyone stared at him in fear, especially Robin. This was the first time that any of the teens other than Robin had elicited an angry response. Robin wouldn't wish Batman's anger on anyone on his team, but he couldn't do or say anything to defend Miss Martian fearing that the anger would be passed down to him. "If they were, the results would have been disastrous."

"But Superboy…"

_Please stop talking_, thought Robin.

_She's stupid_, Artemis thought.

Kid Flash's thought was s_he's cute when she's scared._

Superboy didn't know what to think.

"I understand that he was in pain, but love guided your decision and not loyalty to your team. Superboy is more than capable to withstand certain levels of pain. When did you think about your team again?"

She started to chew her bottom lip as she confessed. "Not until we were almost back to the ship. Then I remembered Aqualad as an afterthought."

"An _afterthought_," Batman repeated in a very dark voice. A chill went through everyone's spine, even the adults. "Your team should never be an afterthought."

A sob escaped her mouth. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I failed my team."

"Think about this statement. _The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the one_." Turning towards the infirmary he walked off.

Sobs kept escaping Megan, as she tried to fully comprehend the statement, but she couldn't.

* * *

**A/N-** How was it? I'm not good at one shots, but I try.

The sentence Batman says is from **Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan.** The actually quote goes slightly different.

**Spock:**That is wise. Were I to invoke logic, however, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.  
**Kirk**: Or the one

Anyway, please review and let me know about how you think the sentence applies within Young Justice.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**-Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I decided to do a second chapter to have Aqualad deal with his feelings.

* * *

After a near death experience, Aqualad was more than happy to be alive, but he was also extremely angry. He was angry: at himself, his damn weakness, the direction of the mission, Psimon, the restrictions that Batman recently placed on the team and most importantly Miss Martian.

It had been three days, three long days to do intensive thinking about her. After his brief time in the infirmary, Aquaman had taken him back home to recover in the palace. Being laid up in bed he did a majority of his thinking. He tried to put herself in her shoes, to see all the rational possibilities but he couldn't. Not even when he talked to his king could he come up with a reasonable answer. He knew the answer was there, but he couldn't see it. Eventually, he felt that she had been selfish in putting her emotions before the well being of the team. It wasn't the right answer, but it was good enough for now. While he was thinking about Miss Martian, he thought about Tula; the girl he would have easily died for, but she broke his heart. He was convinced that the Neptune was playing tricks on him and that life wasn't going to get better anytime soon.

Love and happiness are stupid when you have no one to share it with, he admitted to himself as he walked into the training area, glad to be back.

The rest of the team was standing around waiting for directions as he entered. "You're back," Megan cried the minute she saw him. Ever since her talk with Batman, days ago she had been thinking about how much she hurt Kaldur and how she would make it up to him. The only bright spot was that she was convinced that he would forgive her. With a smile she ran and gave him a hug. "How are you feeling?"

Inside he was foaming, but decided he couldn't let his emotions get in the way, so he kept his voice and face neutral. "I am fine," he replied accepting the hug, but it brought no comfort.

Black Canary gave him a smile. "It's good to have you back Kaldur," she said.

"Thank you, it's good to be back."

Miss Martian gave him one more squeeze before letting go.

"Alright today's lesson is dodging. Our first match is between Miss Martian and Aqualad. Miss Martian focus on dodging Aqualad's water whi-"

"Excuse me, I rather not go against her," Aqualad protested.

"Why not?" asked Black Canary.

"I just don't feel right."

The older woman took the statement as an obvious sign. "Alright then the match is between Miss Martian and Robin. Aqualad come talk with me for a minute."

"Yes ma'am."

Once outside, Black Canary said, "tell me what you feel. Is it about what happened in Bialya?"

Sighing he looked her in the eyes. "Yes, I still feel frustration towards her; I don't think I could hold back if I had attacked her. Is it wrong to feel this way?"

"No completely reasonable. I cannot comprehend how you feel, but I do praise you on your decision. It takes a strong person to realize when he can't keep control, even in a training simulation."

"I don't know if I can be an effective leader with the knowledge that I cannot trust one of my teammates."

"A hard decision like that comes up a lot when you're in a group situation; even Batman has had his doubts when new members come into the league. And to be honest he still rarely trusts anyone other than Superman and Wonder Woman."

"I understand, but he is older and wiser. He has qualities I strive to have one day, but I still can't get past that she let me die."

"Love makes a person do stupid things."

"I know. I keep running the scenario in my head, putting myself in her shoes, but I don't get the desired effect."

"Because you two are different in terms of priorities. Being leader, you would have made the most obvious decision. If Green Arrow would have been in Superboy's position; he would have wanted me to help the team. Look it's your decision to make how you want to handle the situation. Have you've talked to Batman or Aquaman?"

"My king said I must practice forgiveness. And I have. I keep trying to forgive her, but something tells me that I shouldn't."

"Orin is wise, but he is not you. Forgiveness like trust needs to be earned, always remember that. You may not forgive her now and heaven only knows how long it will take. But if you want to grow as a leader; you will have to. For right now do what you think is right and if you have to yell at her do it. Just don't break the dynamic of the team."

"Yes ma'am."

"Do you feel ready to go back inside?"

"No ma'am."

"Alright, stay out here to get your thoughts in order."

"Alright." Sitting down he gazed at the sea as the sound of waves crashing against the shore spoke to him.

Black Canary just sighed as she went back inside.

* * *

Despite watching and listening to the sea for hours, Kaldur found little peace, even with the extra thinking time; he thought he could handle Megan now, but in reality he couldn't. When he was at home, he thought that he would be ready, but now since she was only a few feet away, it was impossible. However he did come up with somewhat of a decision, even if his team wouldn't like, but he would take their disapproval.

Standing up, he walked back inside to find the team in the living room watching the show Megan adored, while eating snacks.

"Hey you're back," mumbled Wally as bits of cookies shot out of his mouth. "You missed a really great lesson; I knocked Superboy on his butt."

"You also got knocked out by Artemis," Robin interjected.

"Dude!"

Getting up from her place beside Superboy, Megan held out a plate to him with a shy smile. "Here I made chocolate peanut butter brownies. Your favorite."

"No thank you," Aqualad replied.

"Are you sure? I made them for you as a glad you feel better gift."

"Yes, I don't want any." His voice a little more intense then he wanted it to be. "I am sorry for raising my voice."

A look of disappointment crossed her face. "It's alright. Kaldur, we need to talk."

"I can't right now."

"But why not?"

"Because I doubt I can truly express how I feel about you," he replied walking away.

Superboy ran after him. "Hey, she just wants to apologize," he said stopping the older boy.

"I cannot take her apology right now."

"Why not? The rest of us forgive her. Why can't you?"

Something snapped within him. "How dare you? Forgiveness is not easy to give out, just because she baked brownies. None of you were on the brink of death and abandoned. None of you know the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach knowing that you would never see anyone you cared about ever again. Knowing that the man, who is like a father, prayed to Neptune every minute hoping that you wouldn't die. Have the feeling of being a failure, because you couldn't protect your team, who is like a second family."

A look of surprise crossed Superboy's face at the fact that Kaldur considered him family. "She did what she had to," was all he could say.

"And that's supposed to make everything better?"

"Let her apologize and don't blame her. It was Psimon's fault."

"Don't blame her. Don't blame her. What she did is unforgivable, something that you can't comprehend. I can understand that love-"

"Kaldur, I'm sorry," Megan interrupted as tears ran down her eyes; she tried to hug him, but he pushed her away. "I wanted to help you. I really did, but Superboy needed me more. And you had the rest of the team."

Artemis smacked her forehead in frustration; it was as if Megan forgot part of her talk with Batman the other day.

"Batman told me that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one. And after thinking about it, I know now that I should have pondered the situation and decided who needed the most help first, but I didn't. And I'm sorry. However, I still feel in my heart that Superboy needed my attention, more than you and the team. I'm sorry Kaldur, I'm truly am. You're like a big brother to me and…"

Kaldur's eyes went big, all that anger and frustration that he had been holding in came out as he yelled at the Martian. "Stop talking you selfish girl. How can you say that I'm like a big brother if you just said that? How can I or anyone else fully trust you if your decisions are only going to revolve around Superboy?"

"But they won't; I know now to think about the team as a whole and not just one individual."

"But you still use love to justify your actions."

"But you love Tula."

"Tula has nothing to do with this and don't bring her up again," he hissed.

"But what would have you've done if Tula was in Superboy's position?"

"I said stop talking about her. I'm done with her."

The rest of the team looked at each other and then back at Kaldur; they had never seen him that angry.

"But you…" Artemis stopped Megan before she could continue.

"Stop being harsh on her, she screwed up okay," said Superboy.

"I'm not being harsh; I'm speaking about how I feel. Megan, I want to know did you even think about me or the team before or after you saved Superboy?"

She started to chew on her lip again, as it was the same question asked by Batman, but she didn't know if she would get the same response. At this point she feared Kaldur more than Batman. "You were an afterthought until we were almost back at the ship. I thought you would be fine," she confessed.

An eyebrow went up then his eyes narrowed into Batman's infamous glare. "I'm glad you don't value me as a friend or as a leader."

Robin thought he was looking at another version of Batman. _Scary_.

"I do value you," she cried feeling scared. "Kaldur please, I messed up. I didn't value your life like I should have. Please forgive me."

"Obviously you don't. I'm just an afterthought to you." he replied keeping the glare.

"Kaldur stop this," she pleaded. "I'm sorry; I'm truly am. Please forgive me."

Thinking about what Black Canary said, Kaldur decided to end the conversation. "The mission is over and I'm still alive, so we shouldn't dwell in the past anymore. Megan, your decision was yours alone and as much as I would love to change the outcome; it cannot happen. I don't want to destroy the dynamic of the team, so I…I forgive you."

"Really?"

"Yes, I do." In his heart he didn't, but he wasn't about to say it out loud.

Smiling she gave him a quick hug that he accepted against his own better judgment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, but think about where your loyalties lie. Is it with the team or your crush?" Having nothing else to say, Aqualad walked out only to run into Batman. "Did you hear?" he asked.

"Yes." The teen tried to make eye contact with Batman, but couldn't. The older man in a rare moment placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Being leader is never easy, but your team will be strong knowing that you put their needs before your own. It shows them that you are their rightful leader."

Kaldur looked Batman in the eyes; he never thought he would receive such a compliment. "Thank you."

Batman just gave a nod. "Once a week, you will receive a private lesson from me in leader dynamics."

"Yes sir."

"Do you feel the need to go home?"

"No, I must stay with the team."

"Good."

* * *

**A/N**-Not as good as the first chapter, but I did it to show Kaldur growing as a person.


End file.
